roasted cod with wild garlic

Wild garlic is also known as ramsons, buckrams, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic, bear leak or bear’s garlic is a wild relative of chives and a member of  the lily family which can cause mistakes in identification. When foraging, for an accurate identification just rub the leaves against each other, wild garlic produces a garlic-like smell. It comes into season at end of February till end of May at the latest in Europe.  It grows in woodlands with moist soils with a slightly acidic conditions.  Farmers consider it to be a pest, because the parts of the plant can infiltrate into the farmer’s picking grain, resulting in a lower price for their crop and dairy cattle that eat the plant can produce odorous milk. Despite these flaws, wild garlic has an important place in herbal medicine. The consuming or application of wild garlic in herbal remedies made from the plant can be beneficial, consult your physician before using this herb to treat any medical condition.

Wild garlic is said to be important to the Native Americans in the treatment of asthma and other respiratory diseases. In addition to harvesting the bulbs for food, some tribes chew them to assist breathing and to treat digestion and intestinal gas. During the Middle Ages, the herb was instrumental in cholera treatment and prevention of plague. The fresh juice of small bulbs was also used as medicine.
Studies have determined that the wild garlic can be beneficial in reducing high blood pressure. It contains allicin, which may be responsible for the herb health benefits. Allicin is known to be anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and a potential effective antioxidant. One of the possible uses include the treatment of high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis and high cholesterol. It can also act as a diluent for blood, making it useful for reducing the risk of blood clot formation. Evidence of all these benefits still to be proven.
The use of wild garlic comes with potential side effects. Frequent contact with the fresh plant can result in irritated skin or an allergic reaction. The use of gloves are highly recommended to harvest the grass. Do not give it to children or pregnant women in raw or medicinal state unless directed to do so by a physician. Wild garlic harvested from a farmer’s field may contain traces of pesticides or other chemicals.

Whatever you believe in it’s potential medicinal effects or not, wild garlic  is one of  those culinary treats. In salads, sauces, soups, sandwiches and the most popular pesto, replacing the basil leaves in the recipe. Wild garlic pesto is a good way to preserve it and to last into the summer. Last year I whizzed the leaves in the food processor with olive oil only to make a paste. Then I placed the mixture into individual small jam jars topped with olive oil and kept them in the fridge.  It’s a very concentrated paste which I  apply in my cooking as and when required. It can also be frozen in ice trays. This year I’ve make some of the paste again.

Here is a nice fresh recipe using the paste, roasted cod with wild garlic served in a bed of lentils. Here is a infographic designed to help you to buy sustainable cod : info

Roasted Cod with Wild Garlic 

yield: 4 portions

Ingredients:

800 gr of cod steaks – de-boned

300 gr of puy lentils 

1 white onion finely diced

4 red whole chillies

2 bayleaves

1 Italian lemon – juiced and zest

Olive oil

Butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon Wild garlic paste ( recipe above)

 

method:

1) cook the lentils according to the packaging. Covered it with water, boil for 10mins, reduce the heat, add the whole chillies and bay leaves and cook in low heat for a further 35 mins. Reserve.

2) place the cod steaks in a heat-proof dish slightly buttered.  Add the cod and drizzle with olive oil.  place the steaks in a pre-heated oven and roast the cod for 20mins in high heat (200C)

3)  while the cod steaks roast in the oven, prepare the lentils by placing the diced onions in a pan with1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook the onions till tender.

4) add the lentils to the onions cook for 5 mins. Salt and pepper to taste.

5) in a pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of wild garlic paste, the zest of a lemon and juice of the lemon.

6) by now the cod should be ready.

7) plate the lentils and place the cod on top.

8) drizzle the wild garlic and lemon sauce on top of the cod steaks.

9) enjoy it!

 

 

 

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